How far could you go?

[kementari]

I couldn't go that far, I would've stop in Lothlorien...and lived there. Sounds pretty selfish, but I was offered a hand in marriage by one of the High Elves...I couldn't resist!

[The Might]

Somehow I feel that many here don't truly realise the physical and psychological requirements of such a journey. Without food, water, with the Ring whispering in your ear, blizzards, wolves, marshes, all kinds of evil creatures I somehow doubt that so many would make it.
I know I probably would not.
And as Tolkien said... only few, perhaps only Frodo in entire M-e could have made that far, so close to the end of the journey. This excludes brave and strong soldiers... so I doubt the journey is as easy as it sounds.
It's not about dealing with the fear of spiders ofr example, it's making it to Shelob in the first place.

[Eönwë]

I don't think I could, the way I am now, but none of us are like anyone inn the fellowship. None of us live hundreds of years (or are immortal), or are divine, or are just very little with hairy feet and amazing stealth (in a good a way).

[Galadriel55]

...guess what? I'm bringing it up.

I don't think that Shelob or the Paths of the Dead or even Gorgoroth would scare me from going. But I think I'd die before I even get to Lorien. Maybe unable to walk another step, since it's the farthest I've walked all my life. Maybe die of thirst and/or hunger. Maybe killed by the first orc I encounter. Maybe trip and fall and break my neck. Or any other way to die.

In other words, I think I'd manage psychologically but not physically. I'm no Eowyn.

But, on the other hand, it's easy enough for me to say that I'm up for it now in my cozy room with a fride full of food a few rooms away. I don't know what I would say/do if I was in the Fellowship, since, well, I was never in it.

[the phantom]

I would've gone the opposite way- to the havens.

After my own lobbying efforts failed, that is. I would've pushed for someone to wield the ring against Sauron, and when it became clear that no one would do such a thing, I might've tried to steal the thing in order to keep it from being sent straight to Sauron. (I wouldn't have seen any hope whatsoever in the plan to send Frodo to Mt. Doom. I mean really- what are the odds Sauron doesn't post a battalion of guards right in the Cracks of Doom seeing how important it is. )

So yeah- I would've been a version of Boromir. But if I wasn't able to get a chance to steal it or was unsuccessful, I would've gone straight in the opposite direction and hope I could get across the sea before Sauron got his ring and flattened everyone.

[Inziladun]

When Gollum appears in a loincloth carrying raw fish, I'm out.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

...guess what? I'm bringing it up.

I don't think that Shelob or the Paths of the Dead or even Gorgoroth would scare me from going. But I think I'd die before I even get to Lorien. Maybe unable to walk another step, since it's the farthest I've walked all my life. Maybe die of thirst and/or hunger. Maybe killed by the first orc I encounter. Maybe trip and fall and break my neck. Or any other way to die.

In other words, I think I'd manage psychologically but not physically. I'm no Eowyn.

But, on the other hand, it's easy enough for me to say that I'm up for it now in my cozy room with a fride full of food a few rooms away. I don't know what I would say/do if I was in the Fellowship, since, well, I was never in it.

Hmmn, well, the original question was about how much mental strain you could take. But as you say, it's too hypothetical to answer properly. Most of the earlier responses revolve around whether or not the posters see themselves as particularly fearful or emotionally fragile, but all that really does is rule some people out to begin with– it doesn't guarantee anyone else would make it, only that they might.

[sassyfriend]

Wouldn't go to mount doom at all!!!!!

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by sassyfriend

Wouldn't go to mount doom at all!!!!!

And be the Fatty Bolger? Hmm...

Another issue, unrelated to all the temptations, is that we already know how everything is going to end. Which might make us either overdo it or not do enough ("the Ring will be destroyed anyways, and nothing will happen tonight, so I can just sleep through my watch..." and then orcs come and kill the whole Fellowship).

On the other hand, though, it does lessen the stress of choices: "sure, Gandalf, we'll go into Moria with you!" "Frodo, you know you have to leave..." "yes, we have to follow the orcs that captured Merry and Pippin, Aragorn!" "Let's take the third road, Frodo!" "sure thing, Faramir! Forget the law!" "same to you, Eomer!" "Aragorn, you have to take the Paths, you have no other way" "Aragorn, you're not going to die, so just go attack Mordor to distract Sauron" and etc.

But even that can go wrong. For example, if your choices work as reverse psychology on the others...

I mean, all these time-travel movies teach us... what? Don't mess in the past if you know the future!

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

...guess what? I'm bringing it up.

I don't think that Shelob or the Paths of the Dead or even Gorgoroth would scare me from going. But I think I'd die before I even get to Lorien. Maybe unable to walk another step, since it's the farthest I've walked all my life. Maybe die of thirst and/or hunger. Maybe killed by the first orc I encounter. Maybe trip and fall and break my neck. Or any other way to die.

In other words, I think I'd manage psychologically but not physically. I'm no Eowyn.

But, on the other hand, it's easy enough for me to say that I'm up for it now in my cozy room with a fride full of food a few rooms away. I don't know what I would say/do if I was in the Fellowship, since, well, I was never in it.

Well, as for physically keeping it up, I wouldn't be so dismissive in that respect. I mean, if you e.g. couldn't keep your pace, I am sure the Fellowship would adjust it. After all, they had all the Hobbits with them. As for being killed by an Orc, that's the same case - there are Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf to fight and protect the rest. So you'd just fall into the group of the Hobbits, and unless you were completely unlucky and got hit by a stray arrow (which, however, could happen to anyone), I think it's not any more likely that you'd be stopped by the physical aspect any more than anyone else would.

On the other hand, I believe the biggest question - which we cannot answer with 100% certainity, I believe - would be how would we react to the lure of the Ring being present. The Ring for sure had some influence on every member of the Fellowship, and the question probably is whether we'd manage not to turn into Boromir or somesuch. Of the other obstacles, I also believe for most of people the general lure would be the Merry-Pippin-thing, i.e. the wish to return home and be at peace (which, however, I think would be one of the easier to overcome, once you have decided that you want to participate in completing the quest, or at least speaking for myself), but very importantly, also the Sam thing. I mean, let's imagine somewhere in the middle of the way you learn that your home is about to be occupied by some nassties and your family and friends are going to be driven away from their homes and all that, and that the nice tree orchard of your youth (or insert whatever in your surroundings which has a place in your heart) is going to be cut down (you can subsitute that on the most material level, but also e.g. for your hometown/country getting a new government which will make "total rearrangements" in some way you certainly won't like - just think analogically) - now that would be probably for me a moment to at least stop and start having doubts whether I shouldn't have stayed where I was.

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I'd have gone into Moria, because I find caves quite interesting, but as soon as I got to the bridge of Khazad-dum that would have been it. I can picture myself backing away from it going "No. No way. I'll just go back the way we came and I'll see you fellas later". Gandalf would have to threaten to put his staff where the sun doesn't shine and that might force me across. If I got that far, then I'd be the same at the stairs of Cirith Ungol.

If I made it that far, I'd be exactly the same. Even if I tried to cross the bridge of Khazâd-dûm, I'd probably get so dizzy I fell off after a couple of steps.

Originally Posted by Inziladun

When Gollum appears in a loincloth carrying raw fish, I'm out.

Anyway, mine would be a pathetic story of corruption. I'd volunteer to be the Ringbearer because I wouldn't trust anyone else in the job, thinking I was stronger than the Ring. But I'd get bored very quickly and my self-discipline being what it is, I'd start playing with the Ring before we even reached Eregion. Then they'd take it away from me and my anger and wounded pride would make me turn back alone - or try to steal it from them without paying any mind to the possible consequences. How sad.